Chapter 10 Sophia
Sophia
I step out of the shower and dry off with the luxurious towel pulled from the warming station.
The Roselli’s life is one that does not necessitate sparing any expense for anything.
Just this room alone is a testament to that.
It may not be the most horrible of prisons, but still, after five days of being completely alone, I’m beginning to wonder if my father is ever coming and what Massimo plans to do with me until he does.
I should be concentrating on getting the hell out of here instead of wondering why Massimo hasn’t returned after that mind shattering orgasm. No matter that he probably just wanted to humiliate me and keep me in my place.
Maybe a debt is owed. I wouldn’t have thought it in a million years. Papa always said we would know if we weren’t safe, guards would be doubled, and all the like. Maybe it’s true that he did something to bring this on the family.
It’s sure looking that way right now, because in the twenty-three years of my life, it’s never taken my father more than a twenty-four-hour period to respond in retaliation to anything, yet here I sit in the enemy’s camp for days without even a word.
This isn’t how my father does things. No, he likes to strike fast before the enemy has time to hunker down and prepare.
Besides, we’re at Massimo’s house. How hard could it be to send our men to take the fuckers out?
Doesn’t he have soldiers who have infiltrated the Rosellis and could bring word back to him about their plans?
I sigh… Perhaps it’s true, and protocol demands that he pay a debt that is owed, even if it is the freedom of his youngest daughter.
My mind drifts to my sister. At least it’s not Anna.
Just the thought of her being here and alone, scared out of her mind for her baby sends shivers down my spine.
And I didn’t get taken to the warehouse where the Rosellis are rumored to hold their prisoners, where they make them beg for mercy on their knees and never let them live.
I should thank my lucky stars.
This is not so bad. It could be so much worse.
I slip into a pair of leggings left by the house woman with the other box of stuff she brought up for me a few days ago.
If I need to stay here until the debt is paid, then I will do it for my family and try not to feel sorry for myself.
I will wait out my time while Papa figures out how to repay the debt.
Massimo saved me from the fucking bartender who drugged me.
He was the only one I spoke with, the only one close enough to slip something into my drink.
It had to be him. My blood races at the thought of how close I actually came to becoming a victim of trafficking.
Who knows what would have become of me if it weren’t for Massimo stepping in, taking me to the safety of his car, and sobering me up before having his driver take me home.
I don’t think he’s going to let people, even his own family, kill me now. At least I hope not.
The intensity and gentleness that I woke up to, not knowing what had happened or where I was, but somehow, knowing I was safe.
I heave a sigh, sliding into my shirt and slipping onto the comfort of the four-poster bed to read for a while and try to get the enemy, my captor and the handsome man who makes my thighs quiver with desire from my mind all while swearing under my breath at just how frustrating he is.
Letting my thoughts wander to the gentle side of Massimo will do me absolutely not one bit of good.
Repeat after me, I am not attracted to the devil who kidnapped me and placed me in a gilded cage no matter that his hand on my ass is enough to make me cream.
He is the enemy, one who has left me to rot in this prison, no matter the luxurious state of the suite I find my cage.
But in all fairness to him, it could be far worse. There is no doubt in my mind that Massimo is to thank for the fact that I am not groveling on the concrete floor at the mercy of his soldiers.
I curl up, plumping my pillow, getting it and my blanket in the perfect position to support one of the paperbacks from the large library shelf in the adjoining room. An hour into the story, I’m engrossed in the book, but the sound of my doorknob turning immediately pulls me from the story.
I look up from my page, watching the door, half expecting Massimo to have finally graced me with his arrogant presence after five days of silence, but fear curdles in my belly at the sight walking through my door.
This man is nothing like Massimo, a complete and utter contrast. Massimo is dark and devilishly handsome no matter that he brought me here. But this man, the one with a tattooed snake around his neck, sends terror racing through my heart as he leers at me in the ugliest of ways.
He closes the door and locks it behind him. “You can scream, but no one here really cares what happens to a fucking Cassone.”
I swallow past the lump in the back of my throat that makes it hard to breathe. “I haven’t done anything to you or to anyone. Please leave my room. Please…”
This man’s sinister sneer leaves no doubt that he means me harm. His boots scuff across the floor in three long strides, and quicker than I can react, he grabs my bare foot and tugs, causing my book to fall from its perched place on my pillow and right off the bed and onto the floor.
I may be trained not to cry in situations like this, but to spit in the eye of the aggressor instead, but fear causes my body to tremble and tears to run rapidly down my face. “Get away from me.”
His smile doesn’t leave any doubt in my mind. He is the one who will make me beg for mercy on my knees, only not on the hardness of a bloody concrete floor but in this luxurious bedroom suite where I thought I was safe.
A cruel and evil twist of fate.
Maybe that was the intent all along. Give me a false sense of security and then dash it all to hell. I inhale a deep breath as he drags me to the end of the bed, running his filthy hands over my mound and onto my breast.
I try hard not to scream my fury, instead, bide my time, letting the lessons of my training settle into the recesses of my mind.
Let him think he’s got the upper hand. The minute he touched me at all, he sealed his fate.
If I don’t kill him, my father will. I swallow down the fear and bile that threatens in the back of my throat, breathing in and out while he spreads my legs, tracing a finger down my thigh as his hand inches toward my center.
Still, I wait, not giving him a reason to restrain me, until he’s ready, until he thinks it will be easier than he thought.
He’s an eager and horny son of a bitch, and that will cost him dearly.
Because the minute he removes that hand and places it on his belt, the strength of my thigh propels the ball of my foot dead center into his groin with enough force to maim.
His head drops as he grabs his dick, and that’s when I strike, bashing him in the nose with all my might. One solid, well-placed kick that shatters the bone of his nose beneath the strong bone of my bare heel.
“Fucking bitch!” he yells, scrambling in an attempt to grasp my foot, but I’m not letting him catch me, not without a fight. I slide back toward the headboard, stand, and hold onto one of the posts to steady myself. I point at the monster. “Don’t come near me.”
He is not that easily dissuaded though, probably more enraged at this point than turned on.
The sound of heavy boots racing up the stairs causes him to pause mid-lunge though. His red- rimmed eyes flinch with raw emotion. “Stupid cunt, I’ll be back for you,” he says before shuffling from the bed and turning at the sound of the opening door.
Three men gape at the visible bone that’s protruding from the skin of his broken nose. “Next time you come back I’ll scratch your fucking eyes out!” I yell as he turns and stalks past them and out the door without a word.
Jimmy turns to the other two men. “I’ll take care of this. Return to your posts.” He eyes me with ill-contained amusement. “You seemed so sweet lying in the back of our car the other night. Who knew you were such a hellcat during the day?”
The pounding in my chest and fear in my heart tell me not to let my guard down for a minute.
Not even with this man who drove me home at Massimo’s request. Just because he drove me home the other night, does not mean that he’s any better than the last fuck who got into my room.
Trust no one. That needs to be my motto from here on out. “Don’t come any closer,” I yell.
He shakes his head. “I’m hardly interested in getting my nose busted or eyes scratched out. I want you to tell me what happened.”
“Why, so you can finish the job?” It’s intended as an accusation but comes out more like I’m pleading that he won’t hurt me or take my life.
Weak, my father will think it’s weak, but then he should have sent his fucking soldiers to deliver the fury of his wrath on this entire estate and everyone in it, instead of leaving me to the mercy of these men.
All the emotions of the last week are swirling around and it’s difficult not to cry.
These bastards took his youngest daughter but still Papa doesn’t come.
I didn’t think he would ever do something that would put his family in a situation like this, or not at least try to storm their fortress.
But yet, here I sit, alone, except for the monsters that try to ravage me in the night.
As hard as I try, I simply cannot calm down. “I was reading a book, and he came in and closed the door. Grabbed my foot, my lady bits, and a handful of tit.” I shrug. “He got what was coming to him.”
His eyes narrow and he takes a step closer. My chest races and survival instincts kick in. Trust no body. “I should have kept hitting him and kept hitting him until I was sure he’d never be able to touch someone again. Don’t come any closer,” I scream.
Jimmy runs a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m sorry that it happened, and it won’t happen again. I’ll see to it personally, but you have to calm down, okay?”
“Calm down? No, I will not calm down. Get the fuck out of my room or I swear to god….”
His eyes narrow. “The invasion of your privacy nor what he did was sanctioned by anyone here. No order was given, Sophia. I’m sorry it happened.”
I nod. It won’t change that it happened, but it’s a lot more compassion than I thought I’d get after besting one of his soldiers. “You drive for Massimo, and take care of things, too?”
He grins. “Other duties as assigned. I’m usually with the boss, but he asked me to hang out here tonight.”
“In case my father and his soldiers raided the estate?”
His eyes narrow. “Question time is over. Go to sleep. No one will bother you tonight. I’ll see to it that Snake doesn’t come back.”